Come Collect Your Culottes!

Hello All!

I don't know about in the States, but here in the UK there's a thing going on for culottes at the moment, and it's not something I can get on board with - not with my behind!! It's like there's a big arrow pointing to my worst bit!

But obviously that's a great excuse to refashion up all the hand-me-downs that are appearing in the charity shops; especially when they're made from beautiful fabric like this :) I'm still tinkering with ideas, styling-wise, as I don't really gravitate towards pink satin in the winter months... black tights? Grey jumper..? What colour boots? Yeah - I'll have to play around with my new skirt to find the best match..! (any ideas gratefully received, hint hint!)

But this was so super-duper easy to do, I'll probably be doing it again. And again. Cutting through the inner leg seam, pinning back together to create one tube (as opposed to two, for the legs) - and then sewing up. I think the main thing that makes this look handmade, not homemade, is the pressing part - especially with this thick fabric. If I hadn't pressed the seams carefully, I think it could have looked...bubbly... can't think of a better word! ;)

If you'd like to read about the whole process, come visit my blog :) In the meantime, keep your fab work coming - loving all the new inspiring additions!! x

Gema xxx

A New Bodice for a Very Sparkly Pageant Dress

My childhood bestfriend got the chance to be in a pageant this fall. She found the perfect, extremely sparkly, second hand formal gown.

There was just one issue, the bodice didn't fit right, and definitely showed signs of wear. So, I cut off the original bodice and sewed a new one for her, which she got to design.

She looked stunning, and did very well in her pageant! I really enjoyed getting to refashion this dress for her, and hope to get another chance sometime to sew a formal gown. They're such fun, pretty, projects! For a full account of how this dress went together, check out my blog, The Sewing Goatherd.

Alyssa,

The Sewing Goatherd

Magical Boro Inspired Jean Jacket with Belt Closure - Paganoonoo Post

I really love the subtle color blocking.

This jacket was inspired by Japanese Boro clothing.  

I find the utilitarian nature of the garments appealing and the patchwork and repair process fascinating. I did not have garments that need extensive repair, but did have jeans in different stages of life.  

I ran across a white waffle robe with a Stanford University logo and thought it would be a good foundation for building a kimono jacket. 

I decided to use the jeans to build this Boro inspired jacket by piecing them together on top of the waffle robe. 

The thing that is amazing, even magical about this jacket is that it looks good on such a wide variety of people.  I wish I'd taken pictures of all of the men and women who have tried it on and it seemed to look just right on large, medium and small people of both sexes.  

The circle on the upper back is to hide an ugly a grease stain. 

I always try to turn a stain into a feature.

The rugged nature of the jacket called out for a complementary closure so I used part of a man's belt. 

Here is the inside front of the jacket.  The original waffle robe lining only extends part way down the sleeve.  This is so the bottom of the sleeve does not become too stiff and retains fluid movement. A pocket was added using an original jean back pocket.  The red stripe is bias tape used to finish off the join between the lining and jacket facing.

Here is the inside back.  You can see all of the sewing
attaching the pieces and quilting the sections.

 I'm on the lookout for another waffle robe.

HAPPY UPCYCLING!

Posted by Michelle Paganini, designer for Paganoonoo

A remake of something new created item number 2

I don't often buy new full price, but this was for a very special occasion, and it was inexpensive enough for me to buy 2. It was exactly the print I wanted but not in the style, so even when willing to buy RTW I can't usually find what I want! Visit here for how to create the new neck tie!

This refashion, created pieces for another refashion including collar, cuffs, front stands and bits of body. I had used most of the body pieces for the neck tie.

 I knew where I'd seen a good contrast print... on a sale rail!

I self drafted the 2nd top basing it on the Sewoverit vintage shirt dress and reused the leftover pieces from the 1st refashion. For details on how I hacked the pattern look on my blog!

Hello, I'm HoffiCoffi

Hello, this is my first time posting at the Refashion Co-op.  I have been blogging since 2010 and I live by the sea in Wales.  The name HoffiCoffi comes from the Welsh language phrase 'Rydw i'n hoffi coffi.'  Which simply means 'I like coffee.'  It may have been too long a title if I had included chocolate... cakes.... biscuits!

Anyway, I digress.  Today it is blowing a gale here in Wales so I wanted to show you something I made last summer - really just to cheer me up in this weather.

It is a rainbow dress made out of this duvet cover I purchased in a charity shop for £1.50.

I was convinced this duvet cover is a print of the opening sequence of one of my favourite childhood television shows, Rainbow, but a quick search on YouTube proved me wrong.  It is uncannily similar though.  

The front section contains the rainbow, whereas the back of duvet cover is all clouds and sky.

It did leave me with a dilemma though, I loved the rainbows, I loved the trees, but they couldn't all fit into a dress.  

Eventually, I opted for the rainbows and cut the fabric just above the tree line.  I had to do a very narrow hem to keep the length that I wanted.  The bodice of the dress is the Colette Peony and as you can see I messed up my fba a bit as there is pulling there. I have done tons of alterations with this bodice before so I'm not sure what went wrong!  The skirt is just the front and back section of the original duvet cover.

The back of the dress is made up entirely of the back of the duvet as the 'sky' was a little lighter on the back section.  I like how all the detail is in the front and how the back gives someone walking behind me a false sense of security that the person in front of them is not unhinged!!!

I have teamed the dress with a petticoat I made previously, together with the shoes I wore to my wedding eleven years ago.

I love my dress, and whilst wearing it outside it seemed to want to join its friends in the sky! 

Well that has cheered me up!  Thank you.

http://hofficoffi.blogspot.co.uk/

Inspiration Pinterest

Cette fois j'ai trouvé l'inspiration sur Pinterest et ça a donné ça :

Et même que j'ai TOUT utilisé et qu'il n'y a plus rien qui reste des 2 pulls de départ !! Lol

En tout cas c'est une petite robe que je porte souvent car je m'y sens bien .

Alors ça vous plaît ? 

Et si vous voulez en savoir plus c'est Ici 

A bientôt, bisous, Elisa Elisa

Introduction to Michelle Paganini a.k.a. Paganoonoo

 

Hello, my name is Michelle Paganini.  I've been studying Fashion Design for the last 6 years at Canada College in Redwood City, CA.  Once I started to learn about the negative impact of new fashion I made a pledge to myself to stop buying new retail. That was over 4 years ago. 

I now buy from thrift stores, consignment shops and rework my own clothing. I've used the skills I've used learned to create repeatable new designs. Upcycling has become a burning passion. My blog Thrifted, Gifted, Bought, Made @ michellepaganini.blogspot.com shares my work and passion. 

I'm thrilled to join the Refashion Co-op group and I'm looking forward to interacting with everyone. 

Sometimes upcycling is as simple as making a a pilled cashmere sweater wearable again with a bit of elbow grease. 

Or changing buttons. 

Or with a bit more effort embellishing something into one-of-a-kind art to wear. 

A Vintage Scarf Gets a New Life as a Top!

This is my first contribution to the Refashion Co-op community and I couldn't be more thrilled that I was accepted.  I am a Canadian thrifter and refashioner who has just joined the blogging community only 2 months ago, so this is an exciting challenge for me.  Unfortunately as I only recently started to photograph my refashions, I don't have a before picture of the project.


This top began life as a beautifully coloured and patterned vintage silk scarf that I had purchased at Value Village for $2.99.  I couldn't seem to find a way to style it with my wardrobe so I considered turning it into the top panel of a dress or a skirt before deciding on making just a top.  You can see the beautiful colours and patterns in the scarf.

Front, side and back view of top.

Luckily in my stash of refashionable clothes I had a silky mandarin collared long sleeved top for $6.99 at Value Village, that closely matched the mustard coloured flowers in the scarf. I carefully removed the whole front panel of the top, including the front of the sleeves.  I left the back portion of the sleeves attached at the arm seam and shortened the sleeves to match the width of the scarf including a hem allowance. Then I removed the mandarin collar and turned the two panels of the back yoke inside and stitched them neatly together across the neckline.

Shoulder and hem details.
Then it was just a matter of attaching the scarf to the back panel at the side and shoulder seams.  I finished the back sleeve portion to match the scarf. The scarf is a bit longer than the back panel, but I like how it turned out anyways.  It was a matter of working with what I had.


I used a piece of left over lining fabric to make an interfacing for the neckline to help it lay nicely.  I am super pleased about how this turned out and am on the hunt for more refashionable tops to make backs for some of my other beautiful scarves.  Check out some of my other refashions at vintagethrifter51.com.  Cheers, Michele

"Vine and Dine" Inspired Blouse

Today's refashion is really important because 1.) it finishes my What-I-made-while-I-was-on-vacation series and 2.) this is my most favorite refashion I've EVER done in my life. EVER :)

It started out looking like this:

I was reading through Beth Huntington's "Refashion Handbook" that she gifted me for my participation in Refashion Runway 3 a few months ago.

One of her refashions in that book is "Vine and Dine" in which she creates a cold-shoulder sleeve date night dress. I loved the sleeves on that dress so much, I decided to do that for my refashion of this dress.

First, I cut.

These scraps are going to be my new sleeves. After I finished up some raw edges, I pinned the new sleeve into the original armhole of the dress (Right sides together).

I finished the new raw bottom edge, turned it around so the zipper in now in the front instead of the back and voila!

My spin on "Vine and Dine" is a little different than Beth's but the sleeves were purely inspired by her refashion. If you haven't had a chance to buy a copy of her book yet, I highly recommend it. It's appropriate for novice and advanced seamstresses alike. I NEVER would've made this dress had I not been inspired by Beth's "Vine and Dine" refashion.... and I never would've had my most favorite refashion EVER.

Like, Ever :)

Thanks again, Beth! :)

Laura, the Accidental Seamstress

Faux

I had some fake fur that I wanted to work into this piece today.

I cut the sleeves off and trimmed the sleeves and neckline with the fur.

 

It was starting to get a little over the top, so I didn't fight it and just added the sleeves back on.

To see the whole thing, come check out my blog!

Give the Cat a Name